Welcome to Girls in Building Week. As we at all times say right here at Constructech, the numbers inform a really attention-grabbing story, and it appears the info is making an attempt to inform us one thing, if we’re prepared to take heed to what it has to say.
Whereas 1.13 million ladies labored within the development business in 2006, that complete fell to only 802,000 in 2012. What occurred throughout that point to make the numbers drop so sharply? Merely, the 2008 Nice Recession. Nevertheless, since 2012, the variety of feminine development staff has elevated. In 2024, ladies represented 11.2% of the development workforce, which is the best share in twenty years, in response to the NAHB (Nationwide Assn. of Residence Builders).
As Peggy Smedley at all times says, the development business is cyclical in nature. There’ll at all times be downturns, however the development business weathers the storm, and whereas there are definitely adjustments that occur, the business usually comes again stronger than earlier than. As a result of the reality is development is important. There’ll at all times be one thing that’s wanted.
Building staff are additionally important. In truth, with a labor scarcity, the business wants extra staff than earlier than. The business additionally wants variety in ideas, opinions, and concepts. Because of this completely different generations, completely different genders, and completely different races are key.
Girls in Building
Final yr, Peggy Smedley penned an attention-grabbing weblog about ladies within the workforce. The statistics present ladies make up practically 47% of the general U.S. workforce, but in development they solely signify about 11% of staff. Even fewer of these ladies are within the expert commerce. Whereas it’s clearly an enchancment, there may be nonetheless a lot work to be performed.
Maybe step one is knowing why the hole exists. A survey by PWC (Skilled Girls in Building) New York from final yr exhibits that ladies are drawn to development for strong causes: aggressive pay, profession development, skilled growth, sturdy advantages, and job safety.
In truth, the business boasts one of many lowest gender pay gaps, with ladies incomes roughly 95% of what their male friends make, notably higher than the nationwide common.
Maybe the second step then is getting this messaging out to most people and constructing consciousness in regards to the alternatives for girls in development. That is the place Girls in Building Week enters the dialog. This custom of Girls in Building Week dates again greater than six a long time. Again in 1960, Amarillo Mayor A.F. Madison proclaimed the primary “Girls in Building Week” to honor the founding of NAWIC (Nationwide Assn. of Girls in Building) and acknowledge the rising contributions of ladies within the discipline. Since that point, the motion has grown and advanced.
In 1998, NAWIC moved WIC Week to the primary full week of March to align with Girls’s Historical past Month and Intl. Girls’s Day. Now, the occasion contains nationwide campaigns, regional packages, and chapter-led occasions throughout the USA that features jobsite excursions, panel discussions, mentorship periods, media outreach, and neighborhood service tasks.
This yr, Girls in Building week additionally aligns with CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026, which is being held March 3-7 in Las Vegas, Nev. With all of this converging on the identical time, there’s a greater dialog that’s taking place round ladies within the development business.
The larger query turns into: Are we actually actually making a distinction with all this messaging? It appears the numbers are lastly pointing to some progress because it pertains to ladies within the development business, however is that progress taking place quick sufficient?
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